And Mercy on Your Soul
by SuperGirlInJeans
Summary: AU. Akame and Kurome travel to the Capital in hopes of finding their parents killer. The task is easier said then done when everybody in the Capital are monsters in human skin. After a series of misfortune events, the sisters come across Night Raid. But a girl with a justice complex and an angelic man isn't what they expected out of a group of assassins.
1. Prologue: Of Fairy Tales and Funerals

Disclaimer: I do not own Akame ga Kill.

**Prologue:**

**Of Fairy Tales and Funerals**

_ Once upon a time, a saint and a witch fell in love. It did not end well._

Akame could remember that day with great accuracy. The sky was clear and birds decided to sing a chipper song. The whole town showed up, if only on her father's behalf and the condolences came in plenty. None of the grievers meant it when they said "I am sorry for your loss". Seven-year-old Akame realized that when nobody stayed around to comfort the newly-made orphans.

Akame and Kurome both wore their best dresses for their parents funeral, but it didn't matter. No one was paying attention to them. Not really. But they were talking about them. Akame could hear the whispers traded between townsfolk and the looks that the sisters were receiving were undeniable. Akame's eyes flickered to Kurome. If Kurome understood what was going on, she did not show it. She watched as shovel load by shovel load, dirt was being put back into the holes that were now their family's grave. Kurome held her doll in one hand and Akame's hand with the other. Her mother had named the doll Kuromini due to the shared qualities between both the doll and it's owner. Even Kuromini's black button eyes that usually shined seemed to be duller that day.

"Both of them are monsters."

The younger sister heard that remark. Kurome squeezed Akame's hand while pulling her doll closer to herself. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. Akame squeezed Kurome's hand back. Akame had heard this rumor multiple times, whenever she went out shopping with her mother, Ao, or was at school, people always accused the siblings of being monsters. The town hated Ao with a passion. But the town also loved Akame's father, Shiro, very much. A saint they called him and a witch they called her. Akame and Kurome were the unholy offspring of a saint and a witch. That statement was only half wrong. Kurome wasn't a monster. Akame on the other hand...

"The one with red eyes is a devil."

Akame wasn't clueless. The whole town thought that she was the one who killed her parents. She didn't blame them. When Ao and Shiro were found dead, Akame was laying on the floor with a katana and blood soaked clothes. The only thing keeping her from getting sent to the Hanging Tree was the severed hand that was found at the crime scene. The hand did not belong to Ao or Shiro, Akame or Kurome. The town's military force had to accept the fact that there was a third party. While this did not prove that Akame did not kill Ao and Shiro, it did not disprove it either.

"She's not even crying."

Akame made a promise to herself that she wouldn't cry at the funeral. She had to stay strong for Kurome. Kurome needed a big sister to look up to. Keeping up a strong act would get both of them through the funeral. But how long was she suppose to keep this up for? Would she ever be allowed to breakdown like she wanted to? To show the entire town that she was not the heartless girl that everybody thought she was?

One busybody finally said what the entire town was thinking, "The eldest is just like her mother."

Akame gritted her teeth as the gravedigger shoveled the last pile of dirt into the graves. Ao and Shiro were buried. And hopefully their secrets would stay buried too.

_ Once upon a time, the universe decided to play a cruel joke on a pair of sisters. And the sisters were going to give the universe hell as payback._


	2. Chapter One-Part One: Before (and After)

Disclaimer: I do not own Akame ga Kill

**Chapter One-Part One:**

**Before (and After)**

Akame's parents used to tell her and Kurome stories every night. They ranged from fairy tales to historical battles to family misadventures. Over time, Akame recognized a recurring pattern in these stories. In each story there were series of trials the heroes had to overcome to get to their goals; however, there was only one Before and After for each hero.

The end of Akame's Before didn't happen in one moment, as it did for most heroes. Her Before came to a close a few days before she met them. They were the most amazing group of people-no, _heroes_-she had ever met. Her Before ended the day she and Kurome arrived in the Capital.

If there was some divine power out there, it hated Akame. She noticed the irony when Kurome and herself decided to take refuge in a church. The church originally belonged to the Path of Peace, but has not been used since their religion had become more popular and moved into a better location which was now their main branch. It was located in the middle of the forest just outside of the Capital. The windows of the church were cracked and a good chunk of the roof was missing. There was no indoor plumbing and Akame was pretty sure that the sound coming from the walls in the middle of the night was, no matter how hard Kurome tried to convince her, not the boogeyman. But it was home. Besides, none of the inns in the Capital would let the two across their thresholds after the incident that happened the night before.

The door creaked opened much to Akame's relief. People could not sneak up on you if they entered through a creaky door. "I'm going now. Follow protocol." Every time the sisters received a tip, Akame would confirm the validity of the information and leave Kurome in the safety of the place they were staying at the time being. Kurome was not to open the door for anyone unless she heard a series of knocks that Akame had come with for a code. And if someone broke in, Kurome would drop everything and run. Failure was not an option. The tip that led them to the Capital came from a citizen of a village they had previously visited had given Akame a location, and said citizen seemed sure that the man with one hand could be found at that location.

Kurome sat on a white-and-blue checkered blanket that had been laid out near the altar. She sat Indian style with sketchpad in her lap and Kuromini propped up against her leg, absorbed into her drawing "Bye, Sis."

Akame took one step outside, "It's almost been ten years."

Kurome's pencil stopped. She looked up from her drawing and across the room. Although Akame was halfway out the door, Kurome could still see her the determination in her red eyes. Kurome looked back down at her sketchpad, a small smile on her face, "I know."

_ Slam._

**. . .**

Looking around, Akame reminisced about what her parents had told her about the Capital. The Capital was just as Shiro had described it. The citizens were lively, the rich and the poor alike. The shops sold everything from clothes to sweets to antiques. Shiro was also able to give very in depth details about the Emperor's castle and how the food they served was the best he had ever tasted (Ao punched his shoulder for that). Whenever she asked why he didn't stay in the Capital, he smiled and said that it wasn't meant to be.

Unfortunately, it was also as Ao had described it. A place where you could not trust anyone. The rich paid off the military, the military paid off the poor, and the poor paid off the rich. The cycle was a cruel and vicious one that happened during humankind's lowest moments. Plus the street vendors overpriced their products. She had also made it very clear that Akame and Kurome were not to go to the Capital unless they were absolutely desperate or had a death wish.

Well, they were desperate.

She didn't get far into the Capital before the whispers began, "Look at that outfit. Is she from the country?"

Akame stopped. She knew the whisper was referring to her. "Definitely," another whisper replied.

Akame glared in the direction that the whispers were coming from. She hated whispers and whisperers. Especially the whispers about her. They were always bad when they were about her and Kurome. The gossipers were shocked into silence and Akame moved on but glanced down at her outfit. Kurome insisted that they wore a matching color scheme of black and red because it was "cute". Akame thought her black minidress, red tie, and the katana strapped to her waist looked professional. More so than Kurome's sailor uniform. But Kurome enjoyed the picking out matching outfits and Akame didn't care enough about clothes to stop her sister.

Akame looked back at the piece of paper in her hand. She was almost there. One more block away. A twisted version of butterflies filled her stomach. Half a block away. This feeling always happened when she was investigating a tip. Three steps. She didn't know what the feeling was called. Two steps. Anytime she tried to explain it to Kurome, Akame got a blank stare in return. One step. And the feeling went away.

Her travels had once again led her to a wall.

A literal brick wall.

Akame suppressed the urge of wanting to hunt down the person who gave her the tip and slice them with her katana when she noticed what was special about this wall: posters. Specifically, wanted posters. Six wanted posters were plastered across the wall, taking up as much space as possible. The depictions showed a range of people. A boy who couldn't have been much older than herself and cowgirl, to name a few. An unusual collection. All of the fugitives had the same thing written underneath their pictures.

Akame traced a finger along the words, "Night Raid?"

**. . .**

Akame sat on the floor of a bookstore. Newspaper articles scattered around her. All of them contained articles about Night Raid. Akame had concluded the following:

1. Night Raid was a group of killers who attacked mainly the rich citizens of the Capital,

2. The group attacked at night, hence the name Night Raid,

3. That was it.

Akame put her face in her hands. There was next to nothing known about the group. And frankly, reading the articles written by the illiterate reporters of the Capital's newspapers was killing her.

"Excuse me? Miss?" A voice pounded inside of Akame's head. "Are you feeling alright?" Akame forced herself to look up and saw an angel. The divine power was messing with her again. He had golden eyes, blond hair, and a feather pin in his hair. Akame had to double take at his eyes. They were filled with genuine concern. When was the last time she met a stranger that showed that for her? Oh, right. Never.

She nodded but remained silent. He visibly relaxed, "That's good." He smiled at her,"Well, if you need anything, just let me know."

She went out on a limb and asked, "Are any of the known members of Night Raid missing a hand?" Angels knew everything, right?

For a millisecond, he looked shocked. He recovered just as quickly, "Not to my knowledge." Akame didn't know whether it was because she asked about Night Raid or because she spoke at all, but the reply seemed a little...off.

Akame's gaze hardened. So the tip was false. Last time she ever she was going to be optimistic. She had spent the last few hours on a wild goose chase. But what else was new. She stumbled as she picked herself off of the ground. The man let out a hand to help balance Akame. She didn't take it.

The man noticed Akame's katana, "That sword..."

She put a hand on the scabbard hanging from her waist, "What?"

The man did not answer. He rubbed his chin. Akame walked away.

"Wait."

Akame turned around to see the man again.

"Here," he held out a white umbrella. Had he held the umbrella before and she didn't notice? Or was this some kind of magic? Akame stared at the umbrella as of looking for an explanation. The man obliged, "It's going to rain later." Not the exact answer she was looking for.

After an moment of calculating silence and an observation of the weather outside, Akame took the umbrella,"You're strange."

He smiled, "I'm often told that."

**. . .**

The sunlight felt good against Kurome's skin. She sighed and put a tea cup back on the blanket. Since her sister had left, Kurome had drawn and painted three pictures, read some of Akame's writing that she didn't think Kurome knew about, and was currently having a tea party with Kuromini. "When will Sis be back?" She looked at the doll and she realized she just said something offensive to Kuromini. The last thing she need was for her best friend to hate her. Kurome jumped to her feet and waved her hands in a protective fashion, "Not that I don't enjoy your company, Kuromini. I just miss Sis." Kuromini's button eyes bored into Kurome's. Kurome pouted, "Don't look at me that way."

_ Knock. Knock. Knock knock. Knock._

Kurome's ears perked up, That was the code Akame set up. "Sis is back," Kurome ran across the room, "Coming, Sis!" And she opened the door.

**. . .**

Just like the man had said, it was pouring by the time she got to the church. The umbrella, to Akame's dislike, was put to use. She owed the man a favor now.

_ Knock. Knock. Knock knock. Knock._

"Kurome. Kurome, I'm back." No answer.

This was not like Kurome. Akame gave the door one last knock. "Kuro-," The door opened, "-me?" She was positive that she had locked the door. This wasn't right. She placed one hand on the hilt of her katana and entered the church.

Every muscle was tense. Each step was taken lightly but her shoes still made a hollow sound when made contact with the stone floor. She reached the front of the church and took in the scene. Her pupils dilated and Akame fell to her knees. Kurome was not in the church anymore. It was just Akame, Kuromini, and the blood splattered blanket.

**End **

**Chapter One-Part One**

**Chapter One-Part Two:**

**Before (and After)**

**Preview:**

** Kurome: Sis is going to get you.**

** ?: I didn't think you would actually show up!**

** ?: Don't kill them too badly.**

** ?: Eat the evil, Koro!**

** ?: You're going to die either way. **

** ?: Welcome to Night Raid!**

** Akame: No good deed goes unpunished. **


	3. Chapter One-Part Two: Before (and After)

Disclaimer: I do not own Akame ga Kill

Beta: I Can Kill You With My Brain

**Chapter One-Part Two:**

**Before (and After)**

Luck did not exist; however, information brokers did. Like snowflakes, each information broker was different, with their own strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right information broker took time and after few bribes and threats, Akame was sure she found the right one. The information broker was a beautiful woman, who gave off a presence that was something animal like: fierce. She had introduced herself as Leone. Akame thought the name was fitting.

Although the rain had stopped, Akame had the white umbrella strapped around her waist. Both Akame and Leone leaned against the brick wall with the wanted posters. They did not make eye contact with each other. Akame made a point not to beat around the bush. "I need to find a girl." She held up Kuromini. The doll's similarities to Kurome were miraculous and worked just as well as a photo, even though the effigy was created nearly a decade ago, "She looks like this."

Leone's eyes flickered towards the doll then back to the crowded streets, "Yeah. I know where she is."

Akame's cool composure vanished. She jumped – yes, jumped – in front of the information broker (Leone's eyes were gold, just like the angel's) and tightened her grip on Kuromini, "Where?" Her voice filled with anticipation.

"Uh uh uh," Leone waggled a finger, "I can't just give away top secret information to anyone who asks for it."

"No good deed goes unpunished," Akame mumbled. She was familiar with this concept. She was a regular victim of it.

"Exactly. So," Leone put her hands on her hips, "treat Big Sis to a meal!"

**. . .**

Kurome thought that being kidnapped would be more exciting. Being threatened, tortured or traded for a bigger prize. Something like in Akame's books. Instead, she got to wait in a cell.

The cell smelled of iron and stone. The walls and floor were made of stone. There was one iron door with a small window. The window had six iron bars. The men who were assigned to guard her cell had given her depraved looks. Kurome had her money on that they were going to rape her before ditching her corpse in a sewer or pig farm somewhere. The kidnappers didn't seem like the type of people who would take the time to dig her a grave. As of that moment, Kurome was facing a pitiful end of an unfulfilled life.

She always had a feeling that was how she would go down.

Kurome stared at the X in the center of the grid she had drawn with her own blood. She admitted that the kidnappers were decent enough fighters that they were able to manage to land a hit on her. The wound was still partially open. She did manage to land a punch on her attacker, but Akame was always the better fighter. Somewhere along the line, Kurome was knocked out. Her head did hurt a bit. Probably a concussion, she had decided.

Kurome grabbed onto the bars of her cell, rocked on the balls of her feet, and sang, "Sis is going to get you." That's right. All Kurome could do was wait for the chance to escape. Sis had her back. They were always there for each other.

She looked back at the grid she had drawn and sighed. There were still eight empty spaces waiting to be filled. Life is lonely when there is no one to be the O in tic-tac-toe.

**. . .**

Akame could not wrap her head around why someone would like to be called Big Sis by a person who was not their sibling. Akame questioned Leone's actions, but Akame (like a good little client) paid for meals at the nearest bar that accepted seventeen-year-olds. Leone's face was flushed, "Woo! Nothing beats alcohol in the evening!" Akame learned that Leone also liked drinking.

Akame picked up a rib took a bite, "My sister." It was not a question.

"Ah, that," she poured herself another drink. "She was taken by Wild Hunt wannabees."

Akame tore another piece of meat off of the rib bone, "Wild Hunt?"

"A group who is worse than Night Raid." She looked to the ceiling, as if she was reminiscing. "Unlike Night Raid who kills the rich, Wild Hunt kills anyone and anything just for laughs. But lately, they have been getting a bunch a followers who have been resorting to kidnapping their kill. Not the smartest people in the world, though. I saw your sister being carried away."

Akame stopped chewing, "If you saw this happening, why didn't you do anything?"

Leone stopped mid-sip. The question threw her off her game for a moment. She recovered soon enough, "I was...indisposed when I saw it happening."

Indisposed was just a better way of saying running away from the people who she owed debt to.

Akame put her forearms on the table and leaned forward, "Do you know where I can find my sister?"

"That," Leone slammed the now empty beer mug on the table, "will cost you another drink."

**. . .**

A group of armed men ran through the hallway. They had been ordered to move outside and provide backup. Two Teigu Users were killing the guards and other members of their Wild Hunt outside and that wasn't all: Teigu Users were Night Raid members.

The thing about wearing armor is that it tends to make noise when running. So when the hallway became quieter, the group worried. They had every right to. The soldiers quickened their pace. After entering the hallway, the hallway, the group of ten had dwindled to a group of three. They were almost to the exit. A scream echoed through the building.

Two were left.

Another scream pierced the air.

And then there was one.

"Eat the evil, Koro!"

He was gone too. In his place stood a girl with a dog in her arms. The girl's smile seemed to radiate a certain innocence while the dog licked its lips. He had been extra careful not to leave a mess. The girl praised him, "Good, Koro! You were so brave, eating the evildoer! Now let's go meet up with the others!"

**. . .**

The moonlight reflected off the surrounding clouds perfectly. A sea of stars twinkled. The sky consisted of shades of purple and black. There was a gentle breeze that made Akame's long hair sway. It was the perfect night to murder.

They had been traveling along the forest path for an hour now. It was steep, rocky, and Akame's loafers were not helping the cause. The only thing that kept Akame going was Kurome. Their bond was Akame's drive. Two halves of a whole.

"Here it is!"

It was bigger than Akame expected. The hideout was a stone mansion that had seen better days. The gate that surrounded the property was covered in a layer of gold rust. The entire place reeked of murderous intent.

Leone gave Akame a stern look, "Don't kill them too badly." She turned around and waved over her shoulder, "Kidding!" And with that, she disappeared into the night.

**. . .**

Another group of ten guards had been called out to the main entrance for backup. They traveled the same route that the group before them went. Their ending was not going to be as forgiving.

There were two people waiting for them in the hallway: a beast-like man with an double-edged axe and a boy with a clarinet. The group stopped in shock. Were these the Night Raid members that they had heard about? The bigger one, Daidara, was on the wanted posters.

"Wave and Natala have been hogging all of the fun," the clarinetist whined. "They got to play with almost all of the toys for themselves."

Daidara slammed the handle of his axe into the palm of his hand, "You have two choices," he gestured towards the group, "Fight like men or run like cowards."

The clarinetist smirked, "You're going to die either way." And he started playing a fast paced tune on the clarinet.

As the music played, something changed in the atmosphere. The guards who were on the defensive seconds earlier, charged at the man with the axe. Their heads pounded. Bloodlust surged through their veins. Even when one was decapitated, his comrades didn't even flinch. One by one, the guards fell at the hands of Daidara.

The last one used his sword and aimed at the Daidara's arm. He missed his target, but was able to knock the axe out of his hands. The clarinet's song changed to a softer tone. Relief filled the guard's senses. Daidara cracked his knuckles, "You're pretty good to knock Belvaac out from my grip, but," the beast grabbed the guard's neck and lifted him up into the air, "can you be so lucky twice?"

The guard managed to choke out, "Mercy! Mercy!"

The clarinet started to play louder. The grip on man's throat tightened. The big man was obviously confused, "Mercy? What's that?"And then crushed the guard's throat. The clarinet stopped. The body dropped to the ground and the Daidara asked the clarinetist, "Nyau, what's mercy?"

Nyau shrugged his shoulders, "Beats me. I think it's foreign."

**. . .**

Akame did not encounter anybody while making her way around the hideout. Well, anybody alive at least; corpses were scattered throughout the building. Obviously the people who had killed the Wild Hunt were only after Wild Hunt members. Kurome was not one of them, so Akame remained calm. She closed her eyes and listened for anything that might give away her sister's position. _Thunk. _It was a small sound, but it was all she had. Akame opened her eyes and ran in the direction the sound had come from.

The mere sight of Kurome took a great weight from Akame. Kurome was, hands down, the most important thing in the world to Akame. And if anything was to happen to the younger sibling, Akame would never be able to live with herself. It was hard not to be ecstatic (well, as ecstatic as Akame could get); even if her sister was being dragged away by a man. But he could be dealt with. The man held Kurome in the hook of his right arm while he unsheathed a dagger with his left. Akame felt the urge to laugh: she didn't.

Instead, she followed suite and unsheathed her katana. The thought of killing this man cleared Akame's head. This man had what was coming to him. Akame raised her weapon and whispered, "Eliminate." She ran at Kurome's captor and jumped over his head, and swiftly moved the blade near his person.

She landed on her feet, crouched down. She watched as the man realized that there was something wrong with his left hand. There was a small cut on the upper side of his wrist: it was barely bleeding. The man laughed, "It's just a scratch! You missed!"

The red-eyed girl stood erect, "No."

Blood poured out faster. The man's face went pale. He gasped, "What?"

Akame put the katana back in its sheath, "Kiriichimonji, the Shingu that inflicts wounds that can never heal."

In a matter of seconds, the man's skin became transparent and he collapsed in a pool of his own blood. Kurome clasped her hands together, her expression was unreadable. Akame thought back to all of the anatomy books she had read. The spot she had chosen to attack was a place that would normally scab over just as soon as the wound was inflicted. If the wound chose not to heal, the effect was deadly.

Everyone of Wild Hunt, fake as they were, was dead. The eldest sister allowed small smile to grace her features and embraced her sister. Akame had hugged her sister many times before, but this time did not feel right. Something was wrong. She brought herself away from Kurome. There was someone watching the sisters from the shadows. A young man in all white had one foot on top of a guard. The assassin in white had been on one of the Night Raid wanted posters. What was his name? He stared at the two girls. His eyes showed no emotion, but were sparkling anyway. Almost like he was a doll or a puppet.

Akame put herself in between the assassin and her sister, "Kurome, stand back."

Kurome then did something peculiar: she burst out laughing. She fell to the ground and gasped, "This is just too good!"

Akame went into a defensive stance, "You're not Kurome."

"I didn't think you would actually show up!" Not-Kurome stood up and wiped a tear from her eye, "If I did, I would have let you take down this entire place for us. A girl who has abandoned but would do anything to rescue someone you cared about. You seem like that type of person."

The red-eyed girl was getting irritated. She did not enjoy getting profiled, "Who are you?"

In a puff of smoke Not-Kurome didn't even look like Kurome anymore. The impostor wore butterfly headphones and was sucking on a lollipop. She held out her hand, "Chelsea. And you're Akame."

Akame's head was too busy swarming with questions to react. What just happened? How did Chelsea know who she was? Where was Kurome? How long was the assassin in white waiting in the shadows for? And more importantly, what flavor was the lollipop? When Akame didn't move, Chelsea took one of Akame's hands and forced a handshake, "You're worried about your sister aren't you?"

Akame did not show any sign of surprise. Anyone who saw Akame and Kurome saw the resemblance, some going as far as saying they were twins. Chelsea was disguised as Kurome, so the former must have seen the latter somewhere. Akame was very, very confused on what has going on.

Chelsea tugged at a strand of pink hair, "Poor thing. She was asleep when we found her." Akame noticed that Chelsea's smiles had a tendency to look like smirks, "Don't worry. Wave's got her covered. They left for the base ages ago."

Wave? Who's Wave? The assassin in white spoke for the first time, "She'll be fine. I promise." Natala. The wanted posters said his name was Natala. Why was she remembering a name of all things at this moment?

"Cece! Look what I got!" A small blond boy pranced into the room with a clarinet in his hand and a helmet on his head. The helmet was the same type as the Wild Hunt guards wore, "It's a souvenir!" Two more people followed him into the room. One was a girl with a dog that looked fake to Akame and the other must as well been part Danger Beast. They were both on the wanted poster too: they were Daidara and Seryu.

Chelsea waved at the newcomers, "Daidara! Nyau! Seryu! Change of plans! We're bringing our new recruit with us!" Chelsea motioned to Akame.

Akame's mind was racing, "Where are we going?!"

Seryu punched a fist in the air and cheered, "To our headquarters, where we make our plans to stop evil!" She then put both hands on her hips and her eyes brimmed with confidence. The dog that was beside the girl, at least Akame thought it was a dog- it looked more like a plush toy, followed suit "Kyuu-n! Kyuu-n!"

The boy chanted, "I get a new toy! I get a new toy!" Akame realized he must be Nyau. And was he referring to her as a toy?

Daidara walked up and slapped Akame's back, "Welcome to Night Raid!"

The statement sank in, "What?"

"Didn't I tell you?" Chelsea clapped her hands on Akame's shoulders "You passed initiation. You're one of us now!"

Red eyes widened. This woman, Chelsea, was under the impression that Akame wanted to join Night Raid. Akame took a look at the members who were present and tried to keep what was left of her sanity in contact.

A shapeshifter. A child and a beast. A girl and a toy dog. And a puppet.

Akame couldn't take it anymore.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?!"

That was the last night of Akame's Before. Now, it would only be After. And, just like in the stories her Ao and Shiro used to tell her, After was always the best part.

**End**

**Chapter One-Part Two**

**Chapter Two-Part One:**

**To Be a Killer**

**Preview:**

**Kurome: Kuromini's in too!**

**Akame: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.**

**Chelsea: Let's not jump to conclusions here.**

**Run: Nice to meet you again.**

**Nyau and Daidara: Die!**

**Wave: I am not a pervert! **

**Natala: What did you expect?**

**?: Which path will you choose?**


	4. Chapter Two-Part One: To Be a Killer

Disclaimer: I do not own Akame ga Kill.

**Chapter Two-Part One:**

**To Be a Killer**

The sky that day was the same color as her mother's eyes; it was a nice blue that was deeper than it's usually color, but a lighter shade than the blue of the ocean. The clouds matched her father's is what Akame decided as she laid in the grass. Ao and Shiro, hand in hand: both of them murdered. They were fitting colors for her first day with Night Raid.

A shadow of a familiar figure darkened Akame's view of the sky. Akame sighed; just like Ao and Shiro, the sky didn't stay very long either.

"You were given the a-okay. Congrats," It was Chelsea who was the cause of the shadow. She had been gone for a while, saying she needed to get the "boss's" approval before Akame could enter the building and she needed to tell everybody present that there were two possible recruits in their midst so they wouldn't 'scare you off or, you know, kill you by accident'. Chelsea held a hand out to Akame, "Feeling nostalgic?"

Akame got up by herself, self-consciously touching Kuromini who was stuck between Akame's belt and her person, unaware that she had fallen into another one of Chelsea's traps: Chelsea latched onto Akame's arm. Akame tried to pull her arm out of Chelsea's hand, but it was useless: Chelsea had an iron grip, "Let me go. I need to go see my sister."

Chelsea started to drag Akame in the direction of headquarters. The Night Raid headquarters was located in the mountains: ten kilometers from the Capital. It was like a mansion in her eyes, and a bit too flashy to be the home of multiple assassins. Chelsea winked at Akame, "No problem. I'll introduce you to everybody as we go to the room we stashed her in."Akame was forced to keep walking because her arm was linked with Chelsea's, but Akame couldn't help shuddering at Chelsea's choice of words.

**. . .**

The first place Chelsea brought Akame was a courtyard. Two people were already there; she recognized both of them.

"You've already met Daidara and Nyau. And they already know who you are."

Nyau spun on the balls of his feet and waved his clarinet in the air, "Cece! We have a new theme song for Night Raid!"

"It's the best one yet," Daidara gave a thumbs up.

Night Raid had a theme song? Akame stared at Nyau and Daidara. These were members of the Capital's most feared group? It might had been the norm because Chelsea encouraged them, "Let's hear it."

Nyau played a high E on his clarinet before he started to sing, "When you're feeling down and you want to give up,"

Daidara bellowed, "There is hope on the horizon!"

"Night Raid will be there to save the day."

"But if you try to get in our way..." There was a pause. Akame wasn't sure whether the pair was serious about this song or if they were goofing off.

Both Daidara and Nyau shouted, "Die!"

Chelsea clapped, "Nicely done."

_They were serious after all,_ Akame thought with dread. _And they're proud of their work._

**. . .**

Seryu sat on the ground and let a piece of string; she watched, amused, as Koro jumped up and down in an attempt to nab the string. Kurome would have thought that the sight was cute and ask to play with the dog next, while Akame had to hold back a wince. The dog looked too fake to be considered cute in her opinion. It didn't even look cool like a Danger Beast. Seryu waved at Chelsea and Akame, "Hello, fellow heroes of justice!"

"You've met Seryu too." Chelsea ruffled Seryu's hair, messing up her auburn ponytail, "Any words of encouragement for Akame?"

Seryu tapped her cheek, deep in thought, "Well, if you don't join us, and since you already know where are base is," a smile broke out her face, "Koro will have to eat you."

Koro flashed a set of fangs and nipped at Akame; he then licked her face with his long tongue. Seryu pat Koro on the head, "That means he likes you. You got the Koro stamp of approval, Akame. Akame?" Akame was several steps away from the dog and shivering.

Chelsea observed the scene, "I think she's more of a cat person."

**. . .**

There was a garden. Not a typical garden, no, that would be too mundane for assassins. This garden had hedge art, a gazebo with a glass table and delicate looking chairs, and a fountain. This garden had hundreds of different types of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. This garden made Akame feel like she was in a castle from a fairy tale instead of the headquarters for an elite group of assassins. And in the middle of it, stood Natala with a butterfly a finger and a soft smile on his face.

"Impressed? This place in Natala's pride and joy."

Akame had a hard time processing this new information, "You did all of this?"

"Of course." The butterfly flew off of Natala's finger,"What did you expect?"

She compared the Natala from the other night to the one in front of her. There was no mask covering the lower half of his face and his present expression was kind. The only similarity between the two Natalas was that they both carried a collapsible spear in a holster. A puppet had been turned into a real boy. No, Pinocchio wasn't the best way to compare the assassin. Akame could only think of one thing to say, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

"You have a good taste in books, Akame." The voice came from behind Akame. She turned around and almost had a mental breakdown.

"Your still here, Run? Don't you and Doya have a request to fulfill today?"

The man with angelic features walked to the gazebo and took a seat. "Yes, but Doya wanted to get in some shooting practice before we left, and since we won't be back for a few days, I wanted to finish the book I've been reading."

Akame gaped, "You're the angel!"

He shook his head, "Nothing of the sort. But thank you for thinking so highly of me. I'm afraid I never properly introduced myself. I'm Run." He smiled. The genuine smile that made Akame believe he was an angel in a first place, "Nice to meet you again."

Akame's face stiffened. She was never going to hear the end of this. Chelsea was hunched over, laughing, "Did you really think he was an angel? That's the best thing I've heard all day!" Akame walked away from the garden, "Hey! Where are you going?"

Akame didn't turn around, "Moving on."

**. . .**

A firing range was set up in a meadow. There was a single figure standing on the range. She had blond hair, a cowboy hat, and wielded dual pistols, Gunshots pierced the air. Every bullet fired landed in the middle of the target.

"This is Doya. You've probably seen her on the wanted posters in town."

Doya looked over her shoulder, still firing and still hitting the bull's-eye. She gave Akame and Chelsea a cocky smile and lowered her pistols, "Hey, Doya. I've told you about Akame."

"Yep. Our newest member if all goes well." Doya raised one pistol up and aimed at a target. She pulled the trigger: nothing. Doya tried her other gun; the result was the same.

"Out of bullets?" Chelsea asked.

"Seems like it's time to restock and head out." Doya tipped her hat in Akame's direction, "Good luck, girly." And she was off.

Akame looked at her dress. No one had ever called her girly before. Demon and devil spawn, sure. But never girly. Chelsea put a hand on Akame's shoulder, "Now, let's go see your sister, okay?"

**. . .**

Chelsea leaned against the wall. She pointed at a door with her lollipop, "She's in there. Maybe Wave too. You haven't met him yet, have you?" She put the lollipop back in her mouth, "Well, if you see a guy with dark hair and blue eyes, that's him."

Akame turned the doorknob, "You're not coming?"

"Nah. Family reunions aren't my thing. I'll wait out here." Akame nodded and opened the door

The first thing she noticed was Kurome sitting on a bed, eating a cookie. She had an ace bandage around her arm, but other than that, Kurome seemed to be in good health. Akame smiled. The second thing she noticed was a man who fit Chelsea's description of Wave sitting on a chair placed next to the bed. He handed her another cookie from a plate that was on top of the nightstand. Kurome happily took it and stopped before she could take a bite. She had caught Akame in her peripheral vision. She jumped off the bed and hugged Akame,"Sis! You found me!" She noticed Kuromini hanging from Akame's belt, "And you brought Kuromini!"

Akame removed Kuromini from her waist and gave the doll to Kurome and closed the door. She hugged the doll. Wave waved, "Hello, I'm Wave. You must be Akame. Kurome told me so much about you." This man talked too much. Akame looked at Wave and cocked her head, "What are you doing here?"

Wave said, "I've been making sure she was okay."

What Akame heard: I've been watching her sleep all night.

"Pervert," Akame accused.

Wave stood up, "I'm not a pervert!"

"That's exactly what a pervert would say."

"Sis, don't be mean. Wave's been super nice to me." Kurome grabbed the plate of cookies off of the nightstand, "He even brought me cookies!"

Akame took a cookie. She munched on the snack while glaring at Wave. Wave backed away from the sisters. He was saved by the bell. Or rather, a knock. Chelsea opened the door, "It's time."

**. . .**

"All hail the great general, Rokugoh!" A man with gray hair pulled back in a ponytail and a mustache announced and gestured towards a man sitting on a throne-like chair, Rokugoh, Akame assumed. Rokugoh was middle-aged, had red hair, and purple eyes. He gave off a fatherly presence that Akame found very comforting. Wave, Chelsea, Natala, Nyau, Daidara, Seryu and Koro gathered in the main room of the base. Run and Doya had already left for their mission which, after asking Chelsea, Akame knew involved a human trafficking ring.

Rokugoh, for reasons Akame would never understand, was not embarrassed, "Thank you for the introduction, Liver."

Liver bowed, "It is my honor to introduce someone of your caliber."

Chelsea coughed 'suck up' and Liver glared. Akame could feel the tension between those two. Rokugoh focused on the two girls, "Hello, Akame and Kurome."

Kurome tugged at Akame's skirt, "How does that man know who we are?"

Akame brushed Kurome's hand aside, "I'll explain later."

Rokugoh ignored the sisters' side conversation, "Before we formally ask you to join us, you should know what the truth behind Night Raid is. Not the Capital's propaganda version. We are an assassination unit of the Revolutionary Army, a group who wants to overthrow the corruption of the Capital and return the Capital to its former glory. You have undoubtedly noticed the morals of some of the Capital's citizens are non-existent." The two sisters nodded. "We get rid of the people who will disturb the new world order." He turned to Akame, "Now, in Chelsea and Run's reports, you possess a Shingu, correct?"

Akame nodded, "Kiriichimonji is my weapon, yes."

"A Shingu is a very rare weapon to have. Am I correctly assuming that you already know about Teigu too?"

Kurome waved both of her hands frantically, "Pick me! I want to tell the story! I want to tell the story!"

Rokugoh looked at Akame and she obliged with an explanation, "She wants you to call on her."

As confused as he was, he did what Akame said, "Uh... Kurome?"

Kurome clapped her hands, "Once upon a time, one thousand years ago, the first emperor wanted to protect the Empire, so he created forty-eight weapons called Teigu. The weapons were scattered across the country six hundred years ago in a civil war. But four hundred years ago, an emperor tried to create a weapon that was even better than Teigu, and the Shingu was created. But it was ultimately a fail so all of the weapons are locked up somewhere." She pointed to Akame's katana, "So Sis got the reject weapon." Akame looked wounded, like someone had just insulted her child.

Liver nodded, "In a nutshell, yes."

"Well, down to business." Rokugoh's face hardened, "We can't force you to be killers. But you know where our base is now, so you can't just leave. You have two options. Work in the tool shop of the Revolutionary Army or join us and actively take part in the cause. Which path will you choose?" Akame and Kurome looked at each other, like they were communicating with each other with their minds. Rokugoh's face softened, "Now, I know this decision is very difficult. Take as much time as you – "

Kurome raised a hand in the air, "I'll do it!"

Kurome raised Kuromini in the air, "Kuromini's in too!" Double face palm.

Kurome turned to Akame, "Sis? Can we join? Please?"

Akame deadpanned, "Your fighting skills are lacking."

"I'll train super hard." Kurome placed her right hand over her heart, "Cookie swear."

Akame bit the inside of her cheek. She had other goals. Kurome was just following Akame out of devotion. But maybe this was an opportunity in disguise, "As members of Night Raid, will we have access to all of your records and contacts?"

Rokugoh was surprised, "Of course."

She looked back at Kurome's pleading look and the expectant Night Raid members. She sighed in defeat, "I'll join."

Rokugoh relaxed, "Then it's settled. Welcome to Night Raid, Akame and Kurome."

Congratulations came from everybody, but the one who was loudest was Nyau. Nyau cheered, "Wow! Your plan worked, Cece!" Chelsea put a finger to her mouth to signal Nyau to shut up but he kept going, "All you had to do was give those fake Wild Hunt members the location on Kurome and everything fell into place!" Daidara put a hand on Nyau's mouth two seconds too late.

Everybody stared at Chelsea. Akame unsheathed Kiriichimonji and said expressionlessly, "You."

"Let's not jump to conclusions here."

Akame lunged at Chelsea, "You got my sister kidnapped." Chelsea jumped out of Kiriichimonji's way.

"Well, who hasn't been kidnapped at least once?" Chelsea dodged another one of Akame's swings, this time too close for comfort.

Rokugoh nodded at Natala and he nodded back. He pulled out his spear and extended it to its full length; just in time to block Akame's katana centimeters from Chelsea's head.

"Akame, stop," Rokugoh commanded. Akame obeyed and pulled back her katana. Chelsea exhaled: she was safe.

"Chelsea," Rokugoh clasped his hands together, "Explain yourself before I give Akame permission to kill you."

Chelsea gulped, "Okay. Well, one of our contacts lived in a town you visited once. He mentioned a girl who single handedly took down a group of bandits who were terrorizing the townspeople and disrupting the trading system. After some research, we found out that girl was you. I thought you would make a nice addition to our group." Akame remembered those bandits. She had made sure they got everything they had coming to them.

Wave shouted, "Kurome could have been seriously hurt!"

Chelsea shrugged, "What is life without risk? Especially for the people in the killing business." "Plus, I'm not the only guilty one here. Nyau and Daidara helped me."

Daidara paled and Nyau pouted, "Cece threw us under the merchant's cart!" And then they both took off before Akame could attack them.

Rokugoh tapped the arm of his throne, "Do you still want to kill her, Akame?"

"Uh-huh."

"Sis, it's okay. She meant well," Akame gave Kurome a look of disbelief, "Kind of. But I forgive her, so you can forgive her too."

Akame sheathed the katana and looked at the remaining members of Night Raid. Their expressions varied from annoyed to disappointed. Akame bowed her head, "Starting off our first day like this is distasteful. I apologize."

Chelsea waved it off, "No big deal." She flipped her hair, "I admit, I was partially at fault."

Liver smirked, "That must have hurt." Chelsea blew a raspberry at him.

Rokugoh smiled, everyone was getting along now. Taking the next course of action he made an announcement, "I believe the best course of action is to have Akame alternate partners, while Kurome is given a permanent mentor.

"Akame, for the moment, Seryu will be your partner."

Seryu saluted, "I will not fail, Commander Rokugoh!" She grabbed Koro by the collar and Akame by the arm, "Come on!" Seryu pulled both Koro and Akame out of the room.

"Wave," Wave stood up taller and awaited orders from Rokugoh, "You are in charge of Kurome."

"I hope we'll get along." He held out his hand for a handshake. Instead, Kurome hugged him, "So cool! I've never had a teacher before."

Liver crossed his arms, "Take care of her, Wave. You don't want to end up like Chelsea."

"Hey," Chelsea threw a punch at Liver, which he caught with ease. He then twisted her arm causing her to scream. Rokugoh sighed, "I swear, every time."

Kurome grinned. She had finally met a group of interesting people. She was not going to be bored here!

**. . .**

Seryu and Akame hiked through the mountains with straw baskets on their backs. Koro sat in Seryu's basket while drinking a glass of lemonade. Akame gritted her teeth. She didn't know she could hate something to much, so quickly. She needed something to distract her. Akame found herself questioning Seryu, "What is your opinion on Night Raid?"

Seryu marched on, "We fight for justice!"

"Justice?"

"Yeah! To be a killer, you need to have justice. It's how you know who the evildoers are and who are the innocent," she punched her fist in the air.

Akame fought the urge to scoff, "Who told you that?"

"My papa." Seryu's smile didn't falter, but her tone seemed sad a bit sad when she said "papa". Akame surmised that Seryu's father was dead. Akame didn't press the matter any further. She remembered how she felt when somebody innocently asked her 'How are your parents?' and she would always say 'Dead.' She did not want to put Seryu through that pain if she could help it. Koro, however...

"Here we are!"

They had stopped at the top of a cliff. A waterfall led into the lake below. The view rivaled that of Natala's garden. Seryu and Akame put down their baskets. Koro hopped out of Seryu's basket with the lemonade glass still in his paws before he promptly devoured the glass. Even Akame couldn't do that. Seryu kicked off her shoes, "Today, we are catching Koga tuna for dinner."

Koga tuna: the elusive fish that are very difficult to find and even harder to catch. But their taste made the effort worth wild. Akame started to drool, "Understood."

Then Seryu dived off the edge with Koro in pursuit. A huge fish soon shot out of the water and landed in Seryu's basket. Akame licked her lips. The fish was still alive for now, but with one quick movement she could turn that fish into sushi. Before she could eat the fish, Seryu and Koro jumped back onto the cliff from the water. _Wait. What?_ Akame was starting to doubt the humanity of the auburn haired girl.

Koro shook off the water from his fur and, as a result, sprayed Akame. She glared at the dog. Seryu twisted her hair and water dripped onto the grass, "Your turn. Be quick and conceal your presence from the fish."

Akame turned her gaze down at the water below. The fish were her new targets, "I will eliminate all of the underwater prey."

**. . .**

Rokugoh sat at the head of the table. All of the members of Night Raid, excluding Akame, were either staring in amazement or eating the Koga tuna, "In the end, Akame caught over a dozen fish before Seryu could catch half the amount."

Seryu hugged Koro tighter than usual and puffed out her cheeks, "It's not my fault that Koro kept eating all of the fish." Koro looked offended by his owner's comment.

Akame walked out of the kitchen, her hair in a ponytail and an apron on, she carried a plate of fried fish and set it in front of Rokugoh, "Food."

Rokugoh took a bite of the fish. He smiled, "Thank you, Akame." Akame nodded and headed back to the kitchen.

"I knew you could do it, Sis!"

Wave tried not to wonder why Kuromini had her own miniature table and chair set up on the table. _She's your new partner, _he thought. _Say something to her! _He smiled at Kurome, _"_You think highly of your sister, don't you?"

Apparently, that was the right question to ask because Kurome's face brightened, "Sis is the strongest person you will ever meet." She took a sip of her fruit juice through her twisty straw, "Everybody used to think so."

Wave smiled. She was talking back to him, now all he had to do was keep the conversation going, "Used to? What happened?"

Kurome bit her lip and stared longingly at Kuromini, "Our parents died when we were kids. Everybody thought she did it, but the evidence was... inconclusive."

"Oh." _Dammit, _Wave mentally kicked himself, _she's depressed now_, "I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories."

"No. It's okay. And it doesn't matter. Sis did something that day that saved my life. She'll always be a hero to me."

Wave was afraid to ask after what happened the last time her asked Kurome a question. But he somehow managed to say, "What did she do?"

Maybe it was a trick of the light, or the Koga tuna was getting to him, but Wave thought he saw Kurome smirk, "Sis cut off the mean man's hand."

**End**

**Chapter Two-Part One**

**Chapter Two-Part Two:**

**To Be a Killer**

**Seryu: I killed everybody. **

**Akame: You have brought this on yourself.**

**Wave: Protecting the powerless is simply a soldier's duty.**

**Chelsea: Tragic, ain't it?**

**Natala: There are penalties. **

**Kurome: This is ridiculous. **

**Rokugoh: There is no guarantee you will come back alive.**


	5. Chapter Two-Part Two: To Be a Killer

Disclaimer: I do not own Akame ga Kill

Beta: I Can Kill You With My Brain

**Chapter Two-Part Two:**

**To Be a Killer**

Akame had decided on the fate of two certain assassins, "The streets will run red with their blood."

Daidara had Akame trapped in his grip, lifting her feet from the floor, while he put his ear next to the door. Nyau leaned closer to the door, "Quiet, A-me. We're trying to listen" Akame felt the need to growl at him. Sometime between dinner and breakfast, Nyau had decided to call Akame 'A-me.' This nickname supported the theory that there was no such thing as an original idea. Akame had a mixture of bad and worst memories with that nickname. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

It had all started at breakfast in the dining hall. Akame had taken mental notes on what had occurred that had put her in this situation – so she knew who to blame later. Akame was in charge of breakfast that morning. Run and Doya were still away on their mission. Wave and Kurome were not present in the dining hall; and Natala had taken his food outside, probably to eat on the patio. Nyau and Daidara were eating faster than Akame could serve the food, and Seryu could not sit still. She was bubbling with... anticipation, maybe? Rokugoh, Chelsea, and Liver were whispering at the head of the table before finishing their meal. A cheerful Seryu and Koro were invited into the meeting room by Rokugoh. She followed the three superiors out of the room and left Nyau, Daidara, and Akame to their own devices. Nyau and Daidara shared a conspiring look and the next thing Akame knew, she was dragged to the doorway of the meeting room. Wave and Kurome would have been there suffering beside her if they were in the dining hall on time.

"You're sharing a room with Akame? I thought there were enough empty rooms that you could each have your own."

"Sis and I grew up in a two room house. Our family all slept in one room. It is a hard habit to break after all of these years." Wave and Kurome came around the corner. Kurome held Kuromini's arm in one hand and waved at Akame with the other, "Oh. Morning, Sis!"

Speak of the devils. Akame tried to wiggle her way out of Daidara's grasp to no avail, "Kurome. Wave."

Wave looked at Akame's position and opened his mouth to say something, but Kurome beat him to it, "You promised you would wake me up." Kurome either ignored Akame's dilemma or was oblivious all together. Wave gave Kurome a look of disbelief, _That's the first thing she had to say?_

"I had every intention of getting you after I prepared breakfast." She swung a leg at Nyau, but he was out of her reach, "I was delayed."

Wave attempted to ease the tension, "Thanks for cooking. Usually, we live off leftovers when Run's out of town."

Akame tried to jab Daidara in the stomach, "I performed my mission to the best of my capability."

Nyau put a finger to his lips, "Shhh!"

For once, it was quiet, and Seryu's cries could be heard, "But Commander Rokugoh!"

"No means no, Seryu. I'm sorry." Then there was stomping. Louder and louder, until the door opened. Seryu marched out with Koro and slammed the door behind her. If she was angry before, she was furious when she noticed her teammates standing in the hall.

Seryu's eyes narrowed into slits, "What are you guys doing out here?" An evil aura that would make even Satan cry surrounded Seryu and Koro.

"Not eavesdropping, if that's what your thinking," Nyau said, giggling nervously. His voice dropped to a whisper,"Run." Daidara dropped Akame on her back. She grunted, but didn't get up. Nyau and Daidara were gone.

Wave had been around Seryu long enough to know when she was ready to rip someone to shreds. He also knew that when Seryu was like that, running away was the best chance at survival. He picked Kurome up, bridal style, and ran away, "Time to train, Kurome!"

Kurome pouted and looked back, "But we haven't eaten yet!"

"Breakfast is in the kitchen," Akame called out.

Liver came out of the meeting room and saw Akame laying on the ground. He stared at the girl; she stared back. After a good while, Liver stood to the side of the doorway, "Akame. Perfect timing. Please, come in."

A confused Akame blinked.

**. . .**

Rokugoh had explained it to her. Night Raid took orders from two groups: the headquarters of the Revolutionary Army and citizens of the Capital. The orders from citizens were investigated to see how true they were. Night Raid was not going to cut any corners that might result in dead innocents. An order had arrived. Night Raid was tasked to kill two high-ranking officials that had been covering up crimes and framing lower-ranking citizens.

Rokugoh sat on his chair, Liver was at his right side, and Chelsea at his left. Chelsea and Liver hid their dislike for each other at the moment in an attempt to act professional. Rokugoh leaned forward, "We want you to take out the Imperial Police's captain, Captain Ogre."

There was no 'Why?' in Akame's mind, the only question she asked was, "When?"

"Tonight. You may use any methods necessary as long as no one sees you during Ogre's assassination and no civilians get harmed. There is no guarantee you will come back alive."

_As opposed to coming back dead? _But Akame nearly never said what she was she was really thinking, "Understood."

Rokugoh put on his father-like smile, "I knew you would. That is all, Akame. You are dismissed." And she left the room, letting her superiors be.

As she closed the door in time to hear the other target's name, "Chelsea. You are to take down the merchant, Gamal."

"With Gaea Foundation, it'll be a piece of cake."

The door creaked to a close. Akame was good at taking orders. She was also good at pretending. Pretending that she didn't care, or that she was fine with taking another life, or that she did not see Seryu spying on her from the corner.

**. . .**

Kuromini watched from a stool as Wave opened up the trunk he had brought to the firing range. Wave dug through the contents with care, "First thing you need is a weapon." He pulled a crossbow and a quarrel out of the trunk, "Because you're just starting out, I thought a long-ranged weapon would be the best choice."

Kurome clasped her hands and her eyes shone. "Wow!"

Wave put the quarrel into place and handed the crossbow to Kurome. He gestured to a target, "Shoot at that and we'll see how much work you need. "

Kurome closed one eye and pointed the arrow at the target. She spun around and aimed at Wave, "I aim with the quarrel, right?"

Wave grabbed the crossbow out of Kurome's hands before she could pull the trigger, "Maybe we should try something else." Kurome put a hand to her mouth to conceal her giggles.

Several weapons and almost-disasters later, Wave decided it was time to take a break. Kurome wondered, _Does he know I was fooling around? _He put away all of the weapons that they had used. He put the knives away first and shuddered. He would have knife-throwing nightmares for weeks.

Kurome twisted a strand of hair around her finger, "Why are you in Night Raid?"

Wave dropped the top of the trunk on his fingers. He held back a scream and pulled out his fingers with minimum damage, "Why do you ask?"

"Sis and I were talking last night and she said that you had a different type of drive than everybody else."

Wave stretched out his fingers. Akame wasn't wrong. His history was different from the others. He crossed his arms and looked at the horizon, "Maybe one day I'll tell you the whole story."

"Oh. Okay."

She was frowning. Wave didn't want her to be sad over something over so trivial as this. _How to make it up to her? _he thought. Wave smiled, "But for now, I will tell you this." He puffed out his chest and put his hands on his hips, "Protecting the powerless is simply a soldier's duty."

Kurome stood up and beamed, "That's such a cool thing to say."

Wave rubbed the back of his head, "Well, as long as you think so." He looked up at the sky. The sun was setting and stars were already coming out, "It's getting dark. Do you want to head to town and get some food? A treat for giving it your all on your first day of training."

Kurome eyes gleamed, "Can we get cookies?"

"Eh... sure."

Kurome pumped her fist in victory.

**. . .**

Seryu peeked around the corner and saw Akame sitting beside the entrance to the garden. She was occupied with writing in a notebook and a few separate pieces of paper. Koro nudged at Seryu's boot. "Right!" Seryu whisper-shouted, "If I follow the plan, nothing can go wrong!"

Step One: Approach the Target.

Seryu marched up to Akame and announced her presence, "Hello, fellow warrior of justice!" She looked down at Akame. She was entranced by a drawing: one of Seryu. It was her wanted poster. Seryu angled her head so she could see the other pieces of paper. The five other wanted posters were laid out as well: Natala, Doya, Liver, Daidara, and Rokugoh. All of the known members of Night Raid. "Where did you get those?"

"Chelsea."

Step Two: Make Conversation That Leads Up to the Real Topic.

Seryu looked down and saw Koro, waving his arms back in forth, cheering his owner on. Seryu composed herself once more, "You're supposed to kill Captain Ogre tonight, right?"

"I will succeed."

Step Three: Beg.

That was not the answer Seryu expected, but she couldn't stray off the plan now. She took a deep breath."I thought I could give you some information on him. To give you an advantage."

Akame continued writing, "Such as?"

Seryu didn't miss a beat, "He's surrounded constantly by other police officers while he's on duty, which is twenty-four hours, six days a week. He doesn't work tonight because it's Sunday. He spends his time off at the bar on the east side of the slums because he thinks they serve the best scotch in the entire Capital." Akame glanced up as Seryu's voice rose with every word. Seryu fell to her hands and knees, she looked at Akame with desperation, "I know a lot more, too! Papa and I were in the Imperial Police before I joined Night Raid. Just ask me anything about Ogre and I can tell you! Please just let me help in anyway I can!"

Step Four: Never Give Up.

Akame stared at a flustered Seryu. The raven-haired girl put the posters in her notebook in a calm fashion before she asked, "Did you join Night Raid because your father died?"

Seryu's eyes widened. Akame realized that Seryu never said that her father did die. Oops. Seryu relaxed a bit, moved into a sitting position, and inclined her head, "I was about Kurome's age when my papa died."

_Seryu saw the Capital as a perfect place. She was taught right from wrong by her papa: Ubiquitous Senior, as the other officers called him. Together, the father-daughter duo made the Capital a better place by defeating one evildoer at a time. One day, Ubiquitous Senior had requested to take off from work. He told Seryu he was sick that day: she believed him. The day went by as usual. Catch some criminals and deliver justice. She had just came back from patrol when she found him. He was her papa, but not her papa at the same time. Half of his body was purple and bubbling. He groaned whenever a bubble of flesh burst._

"_Papa! Who did this to you?!"_

_Ubiquitous Senior moaned, "Evil..."_

The Revolutionary Army, _Seryu thought, _They're the evil people. _Tears began to streak Seryu's face, "I promise you, papa! I'll kill all of the Revolutionary Army with my own hands!"_

_He shook his head, "No, pumpkin. The enemy isn't them." He used the last of his strength to pick up his normal hand and brushed it against Seryu's face, "The true enemy is in our own house."_

"_B-but, how?" Seryu trembled. She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it, "How can our own forces be evil?"_

_He wheezed, "Take a good look around, pumpkin. I know you'll do the right thing."_

_Those were his last words. And what Seryu hated most about them were the truth they held._

_The more she looked around, the more she saw the ugliness of the Capital: Murder. Rape. Theft. Everything her papa had said was evil, the Capital was doing. The perfect image of the Capital she had built up was crumbling. She kept on a mask of ignorance round her coworkers to prevent them from seeing all of the rebellious thoughts bouncing inside of her head. She went through painful testing to see if she was compatible with a Teigu. No one in the Imperial Police had a Teigu. No matter how hard they tried, the weapon just wasn't compatible with her fellow officers. _

_One day, Seryu was given the task of giving Captain Ogre a parcel and a letter. He was in his office, talking with Gamal the merchant, a friend of Captain Ogre's. She could hear their laughter from outside the door. She stopped. Captain Ogre and Gamal were laughing about the death of Ubiquitous Senior. Seryu's hand was suspended above the door knob, frozen. She stayed long enough to overhear the conversion: Ogre did it. He was the one who killed her papa. She didn't stick around long enough to find out why. She ran home with the parcel and slammed the door shut._

_She placed the parcel on the table and opened the letter. Her eyes widened as she read on; Captain Ogre had participated in the Teigu testing. The scientists have found a Teigu that had a very high chance to be compatible with Captain Ogre. She ripped up the piece of paper and screamed. Was this the justice of the Capital? The innocent die and the guilty get off scott free? She curled up in a ball, "This is too unfair. This is too unfair. This is too-" The parcel fell off the bed. It jumped up and down before it rammed into Seryu. She opened the parcel._

_Inside, there was a small dog. _

_She named him Koro._

Akame glanced at Koro, _So the dog is a Teigu. Interesting. _Seryu continued with her story, "I finally had a Teigu and a culprit. So, I went to the Imperial Police headquarters..." she paused and Koro rubbed against her leg, comforting her.

"And?" Akame pried.

"I killed everybody. Everybody who was in that God forsaken place. Ogre wasn't there that day. I guess you could say he dodged a bullet." That explained why she was on the wanted posters. She committed mass murder in broad daylight. Seryu looked down at her boots, "You must think I'm horrible, even by assassin standards."

The scent of blood filled Akame's senses. She could remember the night her parents died with clarity as well. Akame sighed, "Fine. You can come."

Seryu almost lost her balance, "How did you know that's what I wanted?"

"Rokugoh thought that you would let your emotions get in the way of killing Ogre." Akame stood up and put her notebook in the crook of her arm, "So he gave the job to me instead of you. Am I wrong?"

Seryu jumped up and swooped down to get Koro in one movement, "You are the best!" She bounced on the balls of her feet and hugged Koro to what would be the point of suffocation if Koro was a real dog and not a Teigu, "I'm finally going to avenge my papa!"

"You two are disobeying Rokugoh's orders."

Natala was in a flower bed, pulling up weeds. Seryu stopped bouncing. She forgot. The garden was Natala's haven. He spent every spare moment he had tending to the flowers. Translation: he heard everything the two girls were talking about. If Akame was nervous, she did not show it. She nodded, "Yes."

He pulled up another weed, "There are penalties."

"Natala?" Akame paused to see if Natala was going to interrupt: he didn't. She continued, "Have you ever watched your father die in front of you?"

Natala audibly inhaled and Seryu hugged Koro tighter. Akame took the silence as a no, "Then you don't have a say in the matter." She turned her back to him, "We leave now, Seryu."

Seryu saluted, "Yes, ma'am!"

Step Five: Don't Die.

**. . .**

Gamal walked down the halls, moonlight shining through the windows. He had excused himself from a business meeting to go to the bathroom. The man cringed as he rubbed his hands together, "I just hate it when negotiations go wrong."

"Tragic, ain't it?"

Gamal's face twisted in agony as something sharp pierced the back of his neck. When the pain left him, so did his life. Gamal was dead. If any medical examiners looked at the body, they would say the cause of death was a stroke. A lollipop-sucking assassin smirked at the thought, _Oh, how the mighty have fallen._

Chelsea took out a piece of red-and-white checkered cloth and wiped all remaining substances from the murder weapon. Who would have thought that a single needle would take down one of the most corrupt merchants in the Capital? Gaea Foundation was the perfect tool. The Teigu allowed her to become anyone or anything she desired to be. Such as a fly on the wall.

She opened the window. Her job was done. Chelsea looked at the moon and wondered how the other half of the mission was going, "The rest is up to you, Akame."

**. . .**

The target was easy enough to spot. His right eye was red and black; his left eye couldn't even be called an eye: it was a star-shaped scar where an eye should have been. He sat at the counter with several empty glasses in front of him. Death would soon be upon him. "Captain Ogre." There was pull on his sleeve, "I have something I want to tell you."

By the sound of the voice, the stranger was a girl. He turned his head and saw that a black hood covered up her face. He put down his cup, "Fire away."

The stranger adjusted her hood, "I would prefer to speak in private."

Captain Ogre had enough alcohol in his system to comply to the stranger's demands. She led him to an alley. The stranger pulled down her hood. A cascade of black hair flowed to her knees. Red eyes examined Captain Ogre. She leaned against a wall and spoke, "You have brought this on yourself."

"Hello, Captain."

Captain Ogre turned his head and smiled at the two figures who had appeared behind him, "Well, if it isn't Seryu Ubiquitous. I knew something was suspicious about this girl." Captain Ogre pointed his thumb at Akame, "But I didn't think that you were behind all of this. Who are your friends?"

He wasn't surprised by their presence; that was not a good sign. Seryu wasn't about to let him win. Not now, not ever again. She put on her best Doya attitude, "Koro and Akame." She whipped her ponytail over her shoulder, "Remember them well because they will be witnesses of your death."

"Big talk for a wimp." Captain Ogre crossed his arms and examined Koro, "So, this is the Teigu you stole from me."

Seryu put a hand up her shirt sleeve , "I prefer the term..." She pulled out a series of knives and threw them at Captain Ogre, "Liberated!"

Seryu's blades hit hit the wall behind the captain instead. Her eyes widened: _He dodged all of them! _Captain Ogre charged at Seryu. He formed a fist and aimed at the girl's head. Seryu let out a shriek, "Akame!"

In a swift motion, Akame lunged at Captain Ogre's stomach with an unsheathed katana. He jumped into the air with superhuman might. Akame had missed him by a centimeter, but she had messed up his attack on Seryu. She looked up and marveled at how it appeared that the man was levitating. Captain Ogre was able to view all three of his opponents from the height he was at, _First I'll take out the Teigu. Then the red-eyed girl. Watching her friends die before her eyes will teach that traitor bitch what happens when you mess with the Imperial Police's captain! _He dove at Koro. The last mistake he would ever make.

Seryu signaled her Teigu, "Koro!"

_CHOMP!_

Captain Ogre fell. The lower half of his body was being eaten by a joyful Koro. Seryu rolled her head, "Papa was in horrible shape when I found him. This punishment is suitable."

A maniacal laugh pierced the night air. Captain Ogre was not yet dead, "That's what this was about? You think I'm the one who did that to him? No. I just gave the order to have him taken care of." Captain Ogre scoffed, "Such naivety from one of the Capital's most wanted."

Seryu was on the verge of hysteria, "Who else was there?" she begged him, "Who else killed my father?!"

Ogre must have figured that if he was going down he wasn't going alone because he whispered, "Dr. Stylish." His one good eye rolled back.

Seryu was still. Koro was sucking on one of the leg bones of the now dead Captain Ogre. Akame pulled her hood back over her head, staying much longer would increase their chances of getting caught, "Seryu."

Seryu threw her hands up in the air and laughed, "I did it, Papa! I killed an evildoer! I avenged your death! The light of justice shines tonight!"

Akame looked at what was left of Ogre's body, back at a laughing Seryu, and came to a realization, _This is what revenge is like._

**. . .**

Natala was right. There were penalties for disobeying Rokugoh's orders. Those penalties involved cleaning while being silently ridiculed. Seryu and Koro scrubbed down the floors while Akame hand-washed the curtains. She yawned, it was late and she wanted to get an early start on the day tomorrow. Starting with getting revenge on Natala ratting them out to Rokugoh. Chelsea and Liver were present too. Well, kind of. Liver had fallen asleep standing up and Chelsea was having fun drawing on his face with a marker. Rokugoh had just finished his lecture on how disappointed he was in the two girls. But no, that wasn't enough of a punishment, "Seryu, as of now, you are being relieved as Akame's partner." "Akame, starting tomorrow, you're training with Nyau and Daidara."

That did it. Akame collapsed. If going on missions wasn't going to kill her, her teammates were.

**. . .**

Kurome skipped all the way back to her room. She had a bag full of cookies and Kuromini attached to her belt. Wave had bought them for her. It had cost him a few extra bronze pieces to have the bag labeled 'Kurome's Snacks', but she was happy.

Her room was lit by candle light. Kurome put her back to the door and slid to the floor. Her eyes darkened and she growled, "This is ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous?"

Akame sat on her bed in black silk pajamas, an open book in her hands. She stared at her younger sister in puzzlement. Kurome blinked. Any sign of darkness in her eyes had disappeared, "Huh? Did I say something?"

Akame eyes went back to her book, "It's late. Get some rest and we can tell each other about our day tomorrow."

Kurome yawned, "Okay. Night, Sis. Night, Kuromini." She didn't bother changing into pajamas. She plopped into her bed, tucked herself in, and closed her eyes.

Akame closed her book and put out the candle's flame, "Night, Kurome." She laid down pulled the blanket over herself, "I hope that this business doesn't ruin you."

"_Oh, but I hope it will ruin the both of you." _

Akame sat upand looked around the room: nothing. Shesmacked her cheeks to wake herself up. Maybe the mission had gotten to her. She laid her head back on the pillow and tried to go back to sleep. She looked back at Kurome, fast asleep and Kuromini in her arms. Akame narrowed her eyes. She could have sworn that Kuromini's sewed on smile was wider than before.

**End**

**Chapter Two-Part Two**

**Chapter Three-Part One**

**We Three Beasts**

**Preview:**

**Doya: You'll thank me later.**

**Kurome: I can take care of myself!**

**Nyau: This is better!**

**Liver: You don't even know the meaning of the word.**

**Daidara: It seemed like a good idea at the time.**

**Run: I wouldn't say that.**

**Wave: You really are a piece of work.**

**Akame: I cannot die on those terms.**


End file.
